


Manufacturing-Day

by magicpiano



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Birthday Presents, Families of Choice, Father-Son Relationship, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Not Beta Read, slight self-worth issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-15
Updated: 2018-08-15
Packaged: 2019-06-27 23:38:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15695712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magicpiano/pseuds/magicpiano
Summary: Hank just wanted to give Connor a birthday present, but of course nothing is ever that easy.Inspired by a scene from Brooklyn Nine-Nine, but you do NOT need to have seen that show to understand this fic.





	Manufacturing-Day

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was inspired by a scene from the TV show Brooklyn Nine-Nine. You do NOT need to have seen that show to understand this fic I any way (I have only seen a few episodes myself). That being said, this plot is completely stolen from that show. Click the link below to watch the episode clip!
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAvVQVCF2os
> 
> I was going for humor, but I am not very funny so I don't know if I succeeded, but I hope you enjoy it anyway.

Connor had a fundamental misunderstanding on how gifts worked.

Hank tried not to get on his ass too much about these things. He knew Conner was struggling with accepting the fact he was a conscious being now, learning to be alive would take time. So, Hank did his best to explain things that Connor didn’t understand, like how emotions worked and what friendship was. But despite his attempts at being patient, he was not inherently a patient man.

“Just tell me what you want!” Hank let his exasperation into his voice, no longer holding on to pretenses with this well-worn discussion.

Hank tipped his head back into his chair looking up toward the roof. He wondered again how he ended up adopting such a socially inept android. Connor was standing in the kitchen cutting vegetables for Hank’s dinner. Because Hank did that now, ate vegetables with dinner. God, what had Connor done to him?

“I don’t want anything.” Connor didn’t sound upset, but Hank had grown close enough to him in these last few months to be able to tell this was stressing Connor out. He would feel bad about it if Connor wasn’t stressing him out just as much.

“It’s your birthday.” Hank attempted to explain this the same way he would to a child. Which Connor technically was considering this would be his first birthday. “On your birthday people give you gifts. That’s how it works.”

“I am familiar with human customs of birthdays and gift giving.” Connor said with a frown. “But this Tuesday is not my birthday. I was never born.”

“Fine.” Hank agreed. “We’ll call it your manufacturing-day if that will make you happy. Just tell me what you want.”

“I am sorry Lieutenant, but I cannot do that because I do not want anything.”

“How many times have I told you to just call me Hank?” Hank asked irritated. He was sure eventually the lesson would sink in and Connor would start using his real name.

“One hundred and sixteen times… Hank.” Connor replied with a slight sly smile that let Hank know Connor was purposefully being cheeky. At least he was starting to understand sarcasm even if gifts were still out of his realm understanding.

“Sometimes I forget you can actually keep track of these things.” It was shockingly easy to forget that Connor was an android. Maybe that was because Hank had started thinking of Connor as a person long before Connor had started thinking about himself as one.

“You know Connor, you don’t have to be…” Hank felt himself taper off. He was never good at these things. He never knew what to say, but he knew he needed to say it. “I mean, you not one of _them_ anymore, you not CyberLife’s object anymore. You are your own person. Your allowed to want things.”

This brought a small genuine smile to Connors face. “Thank you, Hank, but I really don’t want anything.”

“Fine.” Hank said finally giving up and getting out of his chair. “but when your gift sucks remember it is your own fault for not giving me any ideas.” 

* * *

The wrapping on the box was crap. But that wasn’t really a surprise to Hank. The last time he had wrapped a gift was for Cole’s birthday all those years ago.

He wasn’t going to think about that now though. This was Connor’s birthday. His _first_ birthday and Hank wasn’t going to ruin it by lingering on thoughts that would make him want to get drunk.

He put the box on the table while Connor was serving him breakfast.

“Lieutenant?” Connor asked curiously. “What is this?”

“I know the wrapping is bad but I thought it would still be obvious.” Hank said sarcastically. “It’s your birthday present. Or manufacturing-day present whichever you prefer.”

This made Connor frown ever so slightly. “Thank you, Lieutenant, but as I said before, I do not want nor require- “

“Yeah, yeah I know what you said.” Hank interrupted. “But I don’t care. It’s your day, you get gifts that how it works. Sorry I don’t make the rules.”

“I am sorry Lieutenant, but I really cannot accept this. I should hurry and take Sumo for his walk now or we will both be late for work.”

“What do you mean you can’t accept-” but anything Hank wanted to say was lost by Sumo happily trotting in at the sound of the word ‘walk’.

They were both out of the house before Hank could stop them. The present remained unopened on the kitchen table.

* * *

Connor continually refused to take Hank’s gift. Most people would have taken the hint and given up already. But Hank was nothing if not endlessly stubborn.

If Connor wasn’t going to open the gift willingly then the obvious answer was to trick Connor into opening the gift.

* * *

This time Hank didn’t wrap the gift.

He stuck it into a regular postal box and placed it on Connor’s desk with a simple note reading ‘Connor, please open this’, while Connor was busy making copies of some report.

The plan was pretty brilliant in Hank’s opinion. Because Connor had no reason to think Hank was trying to give him a gift again. Connor wouldn’t know who sent the box or what was in it; he would have to open the box to find out.

And then (finally) Hank would be done. He could cross Connor’s birthday off on his list of things he had to do.

Of course, Connor never made things that easy.

When Connor returned he looked at the box with a frown. “Hank do you know what this is?” he gestured at the box.

“Nope.” Hank lied.

“Did you see who left it here?” Conner had his head tiled to the side slightly studying the box like there was something wrong with it.

“Wasn’t paying attention.” Hank lied easily again.

“I understand.” Conner said seriously. Hank was sure that was the end of Connor’s investigation into the box. He was sure the Connor was about to pick it up and open it. But instead Connor did something entirely unexpected.

“Attention everyone!” Connors voice bellowed across the police station. “I have reason to believe that a bomb has just be delivered to the station.”

Hank’s mind immediately began to cycle from shock to disbelieve. He quickly jumped out of his chair and tried to shut Connor up but the room was already in panic.

“Everyone needs to remain calm and evacuate the building as quickly as possible.” Connor’s voice was calm but Hank could see his underlining panic. As everyone began running for the doors he felt Connor take his hand and began pushing him out of the building.

Hank tried to call out to Connor to explain himself, but it was clear Connor was too distracted to pay any attention to what Hank was saying.

He mentally prepared himself for the inevitable explanation he was going to have to give Fowler.

* * *

“You placed a fake bomb on your partners desk?”

“No!” Hank denied “I placed a birthday present that was mistaken as a bomb on his desk.”

Fowler sighed and sank into his chair. After that morning’s event the Detroit police department was almost back to normal. Everyone was still on edge, but the bomb team had determined the building safe to inhabit again and the misunderstanding had been mostly explained.

Hank could fell the eyes of everyone else in the office on him and Fowler through the glass windows the lined Fowler’s office. For once he didn’t blame them for watching.

“Did it really never occur to you with all the violence against androids and people unhappy with the android’s freedom that leaving an unmarked package with a vague note on the only android police officers desk was a good idea.” Fowler asked dubiously.

Hank considered a sarcastic response but decided to bite his tongue. This was probably not the best time to push his already thin luck.

Fowler sighed again. He seemed to be doing that more lately, Hank wondered if that was partly his fault.

“Neither of you technically did anything wrong, so I am going to let this go.” Fowler finally said after a tense moment of consideration. “But for the love of god Hank think you actions through.”

Hank took that as his cue to leave the office.

At the bottom of the steps he sees Connor waiting. Hank can’t stop thinking he looks like a kid waiting outside the principal’s office.

“Are we in trouble?”

“No, were good.” Hank said giving Connor’s shoulder a squeeze. “You didn’t do anything wrong, it was my fault for not thinking this through more.”

Hank’s not good at apologies, never has been, but he figures this is one of those times where he really should.

“I am sorry about this mess, Kid.”

“I am not upset.” Connor immediately reassured. “I am merely confused about why you are so determined to give me a present.”

Hank watched Connor’s LED shine yellow indicating he was trying to puzzle out this situation. Hank found himself sighing and sagging up against the office wall. He wasn’t sure how to explain this.

“It’s not about the gift.” Hank explained. “When you give someone a birthday present you are letting them know you care. You are telling them that you are glad they exist and that the day they came into this world matters to you.”

Connor was watching his movements, yellow light flashing, processing what Hank had just said.

“I suppose I can understand that, but it doesn’t change the fast I don’t think you need to be spending your money on me.” Connor explained. “I am paid now, so anything I need I can get for myself. You already gift me with a free place to stay everyday so-“

“Is that why you wouldn’t accept the gift?” Hank asked, “You didn’t what me to spend money on you?”

Connor looked embarrassed, but he gave a quick nod anyways. “I don’t want to be more of a burden that I already am.”

Hank couldn’t believe what he was hearing, but at the same time he knew it was true. That was such a Connor thing to think.

“Connor, you are the absolute furthest thing from a burden. My house is cleaner and my food is better now than it ever was before you showed up.” This above everything else was something Hank was determined to hammer into Connor’s head one way or another. Hank was not going to allow Connor to go on living while thinking such things.

“And even if you were somehow a burden, that wouldn’t matter. Family takes care of each other because they love each other, even if they annoy each other. I wouldn’t care if you were a burden, which you’re not.” Hank placed his hand on Connors shoulder and pulled him in for a hug. “Your still family.”

Hank wasn’t sure Connor really understood how much Hank meant that; how deeply true the statement was. It might take some time, but Hank would make sure Connor understood eventually, one silly human tradition at a time.

When they pulled apart Connor had a real smile on his face and clearly a much lighter attitude.

“I think I understand birthdays… or manufacturing-day now.” Connor said with a grin. “I will take that present now Lieutenant.”

“Sorry Kid.” Hank said with a sly grin. “it has been taken away as evidence. You won’t get it back till they are done with it. And that could take weeks.”

Hank saw Connors face drop slightly, but it was fine. Connor was far more patient than Hank, he could wait for his gift.

“And how many times have I told you to call me Hank?”

**Author's Note:**

> In honor of my own birthday, I wrote a birthday fic for Connor my favorite character from this game (but I love them all a bunch!) I probably shouldn’t adore this game as much as I do, but I can’t help it, there is just something about it.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this little fic! As always, I would love to hear your thoughts! Don't be afraid to point out spelling/grammar mistakes! This is a weak spot of mine and I am always trying to improve. I promise I will not take it personally! After all I can’t fix it if you don’t point it out.
> 
> Thanks for reading and take care!


End file.
